Bishop State student to graduate in dual enrollment program

Ryan Lee Maples earns a certificate in welding from Bishop State Community College. (Press-Register/G.M. Andrews)

MOBILE, Alabama -- In May, Ryan Lee Maples earned his diploma from Alma Bryant High School. Now, just two months later, he’s going to receive a certificate in structural welding from Bishop State Community College.

Maples, 18, will walk during Bishop State’s summer commencement exercises this evening for completing the college’s Dual Technical Enrollment Program while still at Alma Bryant.

The Dual Enrollment/Dual Credit Program allows eligible students to earn high school and college credits simultaneously. College courses count toward high school graduation credits and the courses remain a part of the student’s regular transcript.

Bishop State’s summer commencement events start at 6 p.m. in the Yvonne Kennedy Auditorium of the Baker-Gaines Central Campus. State Board of Education President Pro Tem Ella Bell will deliver the keynote address.

In addition to earning two degrees, Maples, who lives in Grand Bay, is also undertaking a strenuous welding course at the Alabama Industrial Development Training maritime center adjacent to the Austal USA shipyards.

“It’s difficult to get in” the AIDT, said Carol Thompson, the counselor at Bishop State’s Southwest Campus who handles technical dual enrollment. She said the program usually starts out with 150 students, but that only about 30 survive until the end.

Maples completed his work for Bishop’s structural welding certificate last fall. But, like others on the dual enrollment track, he couldn’t participate in Bishop’s commencement until after high school graduation.

“It’s a very high honor to what he’s done,” said Tony Hopper, project coordinator and master trainer with the AIDT center in Mobile.

“Not many welders have a college education.”

Maples said he was already in the welding class at Bryant when he decided to pursue the dual enrollment at Bishop State.

“Hopefully I’ll get a job and start working,” he said.

He’s likely to find some good opportunities, according to Hopper. He said the American Welding Society estimates that the U.S. is 250,000 welders short of filling needs, and that the number will grow to 450,000 in just a few years.

“There’s always the possibility of getting a job as long as you put in the work for it,” Hopper said.

Maples works 10 hours a day four days a week at AIDT. “Doing this 10 hours a day gives you the work ethic and drive to get up every morning,” he said.